How To Choose Air Conditioner?
Winter is the best time to buy air conditioners because in winter people don’t buy usually AC, so the price of the ACs goes down. But there are many people who want to spend money to buy the best air conditioners but don’t know how to choose air conditioner.
So, if you are faded up with air coolers and now want to upgrade to air conditioners but don’t have any idea about how to pick the right air conditioner, then read the article till the end and you will get cleared about all your doubts regarding air conditioners.
How To Pick Right Air Conditioner(Best Practices)
When it comes to picking up the right AC, many types of questions come into our mind like which size should I take, which brand will be correct to buy the right air conditioner, and many more.
Window AC/ Split AC?
Window AC or Split AC? This is one of the big doubts regarding buying an AC.
This thing depends upon two things, first is how much money you have and the second is space.
If you have a room with no position of the window then you don’t have anything to do, you have to go with split AC. But, if you have an AC size window, then you can go with window AC.
| Window AC | Split AC |
| Costs less compared to Split AC | Costs more compared to Window AC |
| Insulation is easy | Insulation is easy |
| Installation is hard(cutting of window, attaching the piece of wood, etc) | Installation is easier than window AC |
| Sound is more | Sound is 1/10th of window AC |
| Need space for a window in the room | No such conditions needed |
| Cooling capacity is lesser than split AC | Cooling capacity is more than window AC |
There is a myth that window AC cools more than split but it is experienced that it is not true. Split AC’s cooling capacity is way better than the window AC. Don’t believe anyone, use yourself then decide.
So, it is cleared that, depending upon the money and space you have, you need to decide which air conditioner will be suitable for you.
Split AC Installation
It is very easy to install a split AC. You just need to make a hole in the indoor unit to take the pipe out. The outdoor unit of split AC is also easy to install, you just need to drill two stands on the wall and keep the outdoor unit on it.
The pipe you get for split AC is mostly around 2m so you may need to buy extra to attach with the outdoor unit. If you don’t have space to cut the window for taking the pipe out then you need to go with a longer one.
If the pipe will be of copper then the cost will be more but the cooling quality also will be better.
Copper/Aluminum Pipe?
It is always advisable to go with the copper model because copper pipes provide you a better cooling than aluminum pipes.
Technology
Now the thing is, nowadays ACs are based on which technology? Till now the normal air conditioners used to be like, set one temperature, and after reaching that certain temperature, the machine will stop suddenly by making one loud and annoying sound, and because of that you may wake up at the mid-night.
But now, many brands are producing air conditioners with a dual inverter, and Samsung has introduced triple inverter ACs also.
Why Dual or Triple Inverter AC?
When we set any temperature in AC, what inverter does is, when it reaches that temperature, the compressor doesn’t stop suddenly and doesn’t run on full power also.
Let’s suppose that, your AC takes the full power of 1500W and you set a temperature at 25°C, it will take 1500W for reaching 25°C but it won’t stop the compressor suddenly.
It will go on between 24°C to 26°C on less power without stopping cooling your room.
Difference Between Inverter and Conventional ACs
In conventional ACs, the machine goes on full power till it reaches a certain temperature which is fixed by you and suddenly after reaching there, it will stop the compressor with a loud and annoying sound.
In inverter ACs, it is not like that. It saves energy because it goes on around the fixed temperature on low power. That means it is energy efficient.
How Much Ton Of AC Do You Need?
“How much ton of ac do I need?” This is one of the most asked questions regarding when anyone goes to buy an AC. There is a misconception about the term “ton of AC”.
What is ton of AC?
Many people think that a ton of AC refers to the weight of the AC. But this is not so true. The meaning of 1 ton of AC is, it can cool how much a 1-ton ice can.
Here is the chart about the ton and area of the room which you need to check out when you are going to buy an air conditioner.
| Area of room(sq ft) | Ton you need |
| 90-110 | 1 |
| 110-150 | 1.5 |
| 150-210 | 2 |
| >200 | You need 2 ACs |
If the sunlight stays on your wall throughout the day, then you may need 1.5 tons of AC for a 90-110 sq ft room.
Copper AC/ Aluminum AC?
Which one you should take? Aluminum or copper? Let’s understand this with the concept of repairability.
| Copper AC | Aluminum AC |
| Costs more than aluminum | Costs less than copper |
| Cools almost the same as aluminum | Cools almost the same as copper |
| You can repair if it stops working | Here you can’t repair |
Note: Here we are talking about the full inner body of AC, not only pipe. If we consider the only pipe then copper pipes cool better than aluminum.
How much does it cost to run an AC unit?[Bill]
Here, this thing depends on many cases, and mostly it depends upon you, how much you use per day.
It depends upon the technology also like, inverter ACs are energy efficient than non-inverters.
Non-inverter air conditioners don’t get more than a 3-star rating because they are not energy efficient. Either they run on full power or zero.
Here we are making a chart for your convenience based on the factors like technology and star rating.
| Type | Energy star rating | approx. Annual electricity consumption unit | Annual approx. cost | Annual saving |
| Non-inverter | 3 | 1130 | $90 | – |
| Inverter | 3 | 1035 | $83 | $7.6 |
| Inverter | 4 | 980 | $77 | $12.9 |
| Inverter | 5 | 880 | $69 | $20.15 |
You might be thinking that inverter AC of 5 ratings is okay to buy but the thing is, you need a long time to save that $20.15. It is better to save money today and buy a 3-star inverter AC because the value of today’s money is more than 2 years after’s.
![How To Choose Air Conditioner - How much does it cost to run an AC unit?[Bill]](https://favhomedecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/How-To-Choose-Air-Conditioner-_-Best-Proven-Tips-Suggestions-1.jpg)
BTU(British Thermal Unit)
BTU is mostly seen in portable air conditioners. This is also one of the best factors at which you must look. If you have doubts about how to choose air conditioner size then, BTU will help you.
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and the definition is like, it is the amount of power required to increase the temperature of a pound of water by 1° F.
There is a simple formula that how much BTU you need according to your room.
Length x Breadth = Area in sq ft
If main floor = area x 30 BTU
If the second floor or kitchen = area x 40 BTU
Each foot above 8 ft ceiling = estimeted BTU + 1000(per ft)
Each person over two individuals= estimated BTU + 600(per individual)
Here is the table which shows the approximate BTU required for a specific area.
| BTU | Area(sq ft) |
| 8,000 | 100-150 |
| 10,000 | 150-350 |
| 14,000 | 350-600 |
So, before buying the AC, measure the square ft area of your room, then check out the above table and buy the suitable BTU according to that.
Noise
The noise of the AC depends upon the model to model but mostly depends upon the technology is used.
Conventional ACs make more noise than n inverter AC. The noise of The split AC is around 20-25dB but the conventional ACs make noise up to 50dB.
If it comes to noise, then portable ACs are not an ideal choice because the minimum noise created by portable ACs is 50dB and can make up to 75dB.
Price
Last but not the least, price. This is also a great factor when you are going to buy an AC. Obviously, the price will depend on the type of AC you are taking. Here is the chart which shows a rough range of the price of different type of AC.
| Type | Range |
| Window Air Conditioner | $150 to $300 |
| Wall Air Conditioners | $400 to $700 |
| Portable Air Conditioners | $250 to $500 |
| Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioners | $700 to $2500 |
| Central Air Conditioners | $1,000 to $3500 |
Air Conditioner Buying Guide
FAQs On How To Choose Air Conditioner
What is the best way to choose an air conditioner for your home?
At first, see the space area you have in your room and the money. If you have a window and the budget is less, then you can go with window ACs although they have many cons. But if you have no space for cutting a wall and your budget is high then, split inverter ACs are a nice choice for you. Not only these factors matter but also all the factors mentioned above matter.
How do I calculate what size air conditioner I need?
If you have doubts about how to choose air conditioner size then, BTU will help you.
There is a simple formula that how much BTU you need according to your room.
Length x Breadth = Area in sq ft
If main floor = area x 30 BTU
If the second floor or kitchen = area x 40 BTU
Each foot above 8 ft ceiling = estimeted BTU + 1000(per ft)
Each person over two individuals= estimated BTU + 600(per individual)
Which type of air conditioner is best?
If you want an all-rounder AC for a normal size room, then inverter AC with 3 stars is an ideal choice because they don’t cost much also and give awesome facilities than any other type of ACs. They don’t make much sound, comes under a low budget, cools better than conventional, and many more factors make them a better choice.
Are higher BTUs better?
Not always. Higher BTU is better for large rooms but if your room area is 100-150 sq ft then there is no use in having more than 10,000 BTU. Only you will waste money. But if your room is more than 700 sq ft then you need a higher BTU and that time you need more than one AC in one room.
Which brand AC is best in 2020?
Which AC consumes less power?
Inverter ACs consume less power than any other technology. Among inverter ACs also, 5 stars rating ACs with 3 inverters consume less power.
Which AC is better normal or inverter?
It is always said that the inverter type is way better than normal conventional. Inverter consumes more energy, makes more sound, installation is tough, and many more things make it not a good choice.
Last Few Words On How To Pick Right Air Conditioner
We have listed all the factors in order to clear your doubt regarding how to choose air conditioner. We hope that you have learned so many important and informative points regarding this AC buying guide.
AC is one of the best appliances in a room. You never should neglect a worthy one and go with the cheaper one which has no quality.
So, if you still have any doubt regarding how to choose air conditioner, then must comment them down. Every feedback is appreciated.
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